Published: Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 9:33 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 9:33 a.m.

PENROSE — Opposition to a proposed biomass plant is heating up in Transylvania County, with more than 400 people signing a petition that urges county commissioners to impose an 18-month moratorium on “polluting industries.”

An online petition drive by a group called People for Clean Mountains automatically emails county commissioners every time someone signs, said County Commissioner Page Lemel.

“Our inboxes are absolutely slammed full,” Lemel said, adding, “There would be a lot of groundwork that would have to be done in order for us to place this moratorium that People for Clean Mountains is seeking.”

In February, Bronxville, N.Y.based Renewable Developers applied with the N.C. Utilities Commission for permission to build a plant at the county airport that would use up to 100 tons per day of municipal garbage, agricultural waste and wood fiber to generate 4 megawatts of electricity, through a process known as “pyrolysis.”

An attorney for the developers, Matthew Ross, says the new technology would create few air or water emissions, produce power “24-7” while diverting waste from county landfills and employ 18 to 20 people on site, with benefits.

Developers plan to break ground before January 2014, with 10 to 12 months of construction.

Ross said plant developers, who propose to take 30 percent of Transylvania’s municipal solid waste for “feedstock,” have also discussed with Henderson County officials the prospect of taking their garbage.

Henderson County pays Republic Services to haul roughly 95,000 tons of waste each year to a landfill in South Carolina, but that contract expires in 2015. By 2016-17, even with waste reduction, the county faces a waste stream of roughly 101,000 tons per year, according to its 10-year solid waste plan.

“We’d gladly take their waste,” Ross said of Henderson County, adding “and we would offer them a substantial discount compared to what they pay Republic Services to haul it to South Carolina. Those discounts would save them approximately $900,000 per year, if we took 60,000 tons per year.”

Is garbage gas safe?

But opponents with People for Clean Mountains say the health and environmental effects of heating garbage into gas are “alarming.” They’re asking Transylvania commissioners to stall the project until many unanswered questions can be examined, including its impact on the county’s outdoor tourism-driven economy.

The group’s website — featuring the county’s emblematic white squirrel wearing a gas mask, chirping “Burning Biomass Is Nuts” — quotes the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians as saying that biomass plants produce air emissions known to increase lung, brain and kidney diseases and the risk of cancer and diabetes.

“In light of mounting research and the concerns of so many citizens, the commissioners need time to really understand the full range of costs associated with the proposed biomass facility,” said Danna Smith, a People for Clean Mountains volunteer. She said those costs need to be fully analyzed before the state issues permits.

Without zoning in place, however, County Manager Artie Wilson said the county couldn’t impose a moratorium without commissioners first creating an ordinance that controls certain industries such as asphalt plants, chip mills, medical waste facilities or other “high-impact land uses.”

Wilson has researched similar ordinances used by Allegheny, Alamance and Macon counties and talked at length with experts at the UNC School of Government. Bottom line, he said, “the board of commissioners can’t just go out and do it. There’s a process you have to go through that involves notifications, hearings and some amount of time.”

He added that commissioners would also have to weigh the possibility that plant developers might sue the county if a moratorium was placed in their way. When Transylvania County’s board put a moratorium on new communications towers in 2000, while pondering a 1996 tower ordinance, the county was sued by a company proposing a tallerthan- usual structure.

“Honestly, it’s a real struggle to look at something that might land us in court,” Lemel said. “Transylvania County has been in court over a racetrack. Is that the highest and best use of taxpayer’s money? I’m not sure.”

Lemel said one other alternative the county has is “we could not allow them access to our waste stream. But that is only 30 percent of what they’re looking for.”

As part of its “due diligence,” Wilson said, the county has requested more information about pyrolosis facilities from Ross, N.C. State University and the Biofuels Center of North Carolina. He said solid facts are scant, since the technology of gasifying solid waste for electricity production is new and existing plants are few.

“That’s where the rub comes, because the information regarding all the issues like emissions, residue and such, we don’t have much factual information to go on,” he said. “At this point in time, I can’t make any recommendations to the commissioners one way or another, until we get more responses to our questions.”

<p>PENROSE — Opposition to a proposed biomass plant is heating up in Transylvania County, with more than 400 people signing a petition that urges county commissioners to impose an 18-month moratorium on “polluting industries.”</p><p>An online petition drive by a group called People for Clean Mountains automatically emails county commissioners every time someone signs, said County Commissioner Page Lemel.</p><p>“Our inboxes are absolutely slammed full,” Lemel said, adding, “There would be a lot of groundwork that would have to be done in order for us to place this moratorium that People for Clean Mountains is seeking.”</p><p>In February, Bronxville, N.Y.based Renewable Developers applied with the N.C. Utilities Commission for permission to build a plant at the county airport that would use up to 100 tons per day of municipal garbage, agricultural waste and wood fiber to generate 4 megawatts of electricity, through a process known as “pyrolysis.”</p><p>An attorney for the developers, Matthew Ross, says the new technology would create few air or water emissions, produce power “24-7” while diverting waste from county landfills and employ 18 to 20 people on site, with benefits.</p><p>Developers plan to break ground before January 2014, with 10 to 12 months of construction. </p><p>Ross said plant developers, who propose to take 30 percent of Transylvania's municipal solid waste for “feedstock,” have also discussed with Henderson County officials the prospect of taking their garbage. </p><p>Henderson County pays Republic Services to haul roughly 95,000 tons of waste each year to a landfill in South Carolina, but that contract expires in 2015. By 2016-17, even with waste reduction, the county faces a waste stream of roughly 101,000 tons per year, according to its 10-year solid waste plan. </p><p>“We'd gladly take their waste,” Ross said of Henderson County, adding “and we would offer them a substantial discount compared to what they pay Republic Services to haul it to South Carolina. Those discounts would save them approximately $900,000 per year, if we took 60,000 tons per year.” </p><p>Is garbage gas safe? </p><p>But opponents with People for Clean Mountains say the health and environmental effects of heating garbage into gas are “alarming.” They're asking Transylvania commissioners to stall the project until many unanswered questions can be examined, including its impact on the county's outdoor tourism-driven economy. </p><p>The group's website — featuring the county's emblematic white squirrel wearing a gas mask, chirping “Burning Biomass Is Nuts” — quotes the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians as saying that biomass plants produce air emissions known to increase lung, brain and kidney diseases and the risk of cancer and diabetes. </p><p>“In light of mounting research and the concerns of so many citizens, the commissioners need time to really understand the full range of costs associated with the proposed biomass facility,” said Danna Smith, a People for Clean Mountains volunteer. She said those costs need to be fully analyzed before the state issues permits. </p><p>Without zoning in place, however, County Manager Artie Wilson said the county couldn't impose a moratorium without commissioners first creating an ordinance that controls certain industries such as asphalt plants, chip mills, medical waste facilities or other “high-impact land uses.” </p><p>Wilson has researched similar ordinances used by Allegheny, Alamance and Macon counties and talked at length with experts at the UNC School of Government. Bottom line, he said, “the board of commissioners can't just go out and do it. There's a process you have to go through that involves notifications, hearings and some amount of time.” </p><p>He added that commissioners would also have to weigh the possibility that plant developers might sue the county if a moratorium was placed in their way. When Transylvania County's board put a moratorium on new communications towers in 2000, while pondering a 1996 tower ordinance, the county was sued by a company proposing a tallerthan- usual structure. </p><p>“Honestly, it's a real struggle to look at something that might land us in court,” Lemel said. “Transylvania County has been in court over a racetrack. Is that the highest and best use of taxpayer's money? I'm not sure.” </p><p>Lemel said one other alternative the county has is “we could not allow them access to our waste stream. But that is only 30 percent of what they're looking for.” </p><p>As part of its “due diligence,” Wilson said, the county has requested more information about pyrolosis facilities from Ross, N.C. State University and the Biofuels Center of North Carolina. He said solid facts are scant, since the technology of gasifying solid waste for electricity production is new and existing plants are few. </p><p>“That's where the rub comes, because the information regarding all the issues like emissions, residue and such, we don't have much factual information to go on,” he said. “At this point in time, I can't make any recommendations to the commissioners one way or another, until we get more responses to our questions.” </p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than. axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>